Manchester United decided to splash the cash on their attack during the summer transfer window after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign.
The Red Devils opted to spend £66.4m on the signing of Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig to lead the line for Ruben Amorim this season.
Sesko provided an assist in the 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League last weekend, and has had a strong start to life at Old Trafford since his move to England.
The 6 foot 5 centre-forward has scored two goals from 1.81 xG and provided one assist across five starts in the top-flight for the Red Devils so far this season, per Sofascore.
Sesko scored 21 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig in the 2024/25 campaign, after a return of 18 goals in 42 outings in all competitions in his first season in Germany, per Sofascore.
The 22-year-old marksman, having already scored two league goals for United, will be hoping that he can continue to impress and be the first striker since Robin van Persie to score 20 or more Premier League goals in a season.
Why Man United have been looking for their next Robin van Persie
Manchester United have been searching for their next van Persie for around 12 years, as his haul of 26 goals in the Premier League in the 2012/13 campaign is the last time a player hit 20 league goals for the club.
The former Netherlands international, who was signed from rivals Arsenal, netted a staggering 26 goals in the top-flight that season for Sir Alex Ferguson to win the title for the Red Devils, their most recent title to date.
The highlights in the video above show just how lethal the Dutchman was in front of goal for United that season, with his incredible movement in behind and his lethal left foot that consistently buried chances past goalkeepers.
24/25
Bruno Fernandes & Amad Diallo – 8
23/24
Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund – 10
22/23
Marcus Rashford – 17
21/22
Cristiano Ronaldo – 18
20/21
Bruno Fernandes – 18
19/20
Marcus Rashford & Antony Martial – 17
18/19
Paul Pogba – 13
17/18
Romelu Lukaku – 16
16/17
Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 17
15/16
Anthony Martial – 11
14/15
Wayne Rooney – 12
13/14
Wayne Rooney – 17
12/13
Robin van Persie – 26
As you can see in the table above, no Manchester United player has come close to what he achieved in the 2012/13 campaign since then, with no player scoring more than 18 Premier League goals.
Sesko will be hoping that he can end that drought for the Red Devils and kick on to be the 20+ goal centre-forward that the club have not had since van Persie’s incredible season, given his aforementioned record for Leipzig and the two goals he has already scored this term.
However, there is another player currently shining at Old Trafford who may be the club’s new version of van Persie, despite not being an out-and-out centre-forward.
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The Premier League giants paid £71m to sign winger Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, and it is safe to say that he has hit the ground running in Manchester.
Why Bryan Mbeumo is Man Utd's new Robin van Persie
The Cameroon international arrived at Old Trafford as a player who had already proven himself in the Premier League during his time with the Bees, just as Van Persie had done with Arsenal prior to his move to the club in 2012.
Mbeumo scored a staggering 20 goals in 38 matches in the top-flight for Brentford in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which means that he scored more league goals than any Manchester United player has managed since Van Persie.
As they did with the Dutchman, Manchester United are now profiting from bringing in a player who has already proven himself as a goalscorer in England, as he has provided a huge threat in front of goal for Amorim.
Mbeumo has scored five goals in ten appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, per Sofascore, and four of those five have come in his nine outings in the Premier League.
The left-footed star scored twice against Brighton in the top-flight on Saturday and his second goal was incredibly van Persie-esque, with a brilliant run across the defenders and a terrific left-footed finish into the roof of the net with power and accuracy.
It was a goal that the former Premier League title winner would have been proud of, and it led to Alice Talks Football to describe him as “one of the best players in the league this season” on X.
xG
2.89
2nd
Shots per game
2.6
1st
Shots on target per game
1.3
1st
Goals
4
1st
Minutes per goal
194
1st
xA
2.04
1st
Assists
1
Joint-1st
Goals + assists
5
1st
It is hard to argue with that assessment when, as you can see in the table above, he has been the most impactful attacking player for the team that currently sit sixth in the Premier League table.
He has been the standout attacking star for United, with the most combined goals and assists and the most xA, and deserves to be in the conversation when fans and pundits speak about the best players in the league this season.
Putting all of this together, it appears as though INEOS and Amorim may have unearthed Manchester United’s new van Persie, as Mbeumo has the lethal left foot, the movement, and the experience to follow in the Dutchman’s footsteps.
Hopefully, supporters will be celebrating next May if the Cameroon international can rake in a 20-plus-goal-haul to earn the club a trophy or two at the end of the season.
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